GlobalGirl Media Launches Soweto Bureau

June 2, 2010

GlobalGirl Media, a new non-profit that nurtures the voice and self expression of young girls by linking them with seasoned broadcast and print journalists, documentary filmmakers, and digital media professionals, is announcing the opening of GlobalGirl Media Soweto Academy and News Bureau on June 7th as well as the launch of their Kick it Up! Project at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. See the press release below for more details.

GlobalGirl Media Launches Soweto Bureau

6.2.2010

GlobalGirl Media announces the opening of the GlobalGirl Media Soweto Academy and News Bureau on June 7th, 2010 and the launch of their Kick it Up! Project at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Academy provides training, skills and mentoring to underserved teenage girls in Soweto and Port Elizabeth, South Africa to become journalists.

“We strongly believe that the video and blog features from our GlobalGirl reporting teams will be some of the most distinctive content generated during the World Cup,” stated Amie Williams, Executive Director of GlobalGirl Media. These remarkable young women will be interviewing athletes, exploring human interest stories on health, human rights, social media, the arts, as well as what “2010” means to them and their communities. Seismic change is happening in many newsrooms and media outlets in the U.S. and abroad. Our training gives these girls a headstart on the multiplicity of skills future journalists need to embrace.

GlobalGirl Media’s Spokesperson and mentor, Julie Foudy, former US Women’s Soccer Team Captain and two-time Olympic gold medalist, will be in Soweto reporting on the World Cup for ESPN. “To be able to train these incredible young women, help them to gain experience, and, most importantly, to build their self confidence as reporters, is huge,” explains Foudy. “GlobalGirl Media is incredibly important because it is gives young women the opportunity to become citizen journalists and leaders in their community.” Foudy will be teaching a session on sports journalism at the GlobalGirl Academy.

GlobalGirl Media has partnered with local NGOs, including Teboho Trust, the Ekasi Womens Arts Ensemble, Twashne Home of Hope, Kids Haven, Rotarians and the Ubuntu Education Foundation, which helped select girls for the program together with students from the after school enrichment program at the US Embassy Rosa Parks Library in Soweto, where the Academy will be held. The local production partner is T.O.M. Productions in Johannesburg.

GlobalGirl Media launched its pilot program in East Los Angeles on May 8th, 2010. Girls from each academy and news bureau will interact with and learn from each other via Skype and social networking programs.

GlobalGirl Media reports will be seen on a variety of media outlets including: ESPN, BBC, Univision, KPFK, Al Jazeera, GritTV, Soweto TV, self.com, internews.org, Huffingtonpost.com, among others, as well as on the organization’s website www.globalgirlmedia.org.

GlobalGirl Media has received funding from the Nike Foundation, the U.S. Embassy in South Africa, Department of Cultural Affairs, as well as from individual donors in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and South Africa.